More than 6 million people are stalked per year in the United States, according to the Stalking Resource Center. One of those people was Kaitlin Gerber, who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend Jashua Perz on March 24.

While driving, Gerber, 20, called police to report that Perz was shooting at her from his car. He murdered her in the parking lot of Southland Shopping Center and later committed suicide in his home after a standoff with police. Perz had previous trouble with the law, including  an incident where he kidnapped and assaulted Gerber for more than four hours in September.

Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates said, “What everyone is doing is looking at everything that happened because this was such a terrible thing. It happened right under our noses on a Sunday morning.”

She later added, “I don’t know how we help people who are stalked other than tell them we’ll do everything we can, but sometimes everything we can do isn’t enough.”

Rebecca Facey, a local advocate for domestic violence victims, said Gerber is an example of someone who did everything “right” when it came to protecting herself.

“This is an example of a woman who uprooted her entire life, moved, changed her number, relocated, did everything that even the most extreme cases weren’t doing and it wasn’t enough,” Facey said.

“The typical response is usually to criticize the woman. You know, ‘Why didn’t she protect herself? Why didn’t she get away? Why didn’t she protect the children?’ This is an example of a woman who did everything she could. She went to multiple courts. She got her protection order. She called the police as this was happening. She left her family’s home to protect them because she knew he was after her.”

‘Did all she could’

Laura Gerhardinger, a friend of Gerber’s, agreed.

“It is clear that Kaitlin did all she could legally to protect herself, but in the end it wasn’t enough,” she wrote in an email.

Facey stressed that the one to blame is the perpetrator.

“The issue is Perz … He was the one acting out in incredibly illegal and unbelievable ways and he’s the one we can control as a society. He’s the one breaking laws we put in place.”

In Ohio, menacing by stalking is a misdemeanor of the first degree. That can be bumped up to a felony of the fourth degree if certain criteria, like previous offenses or stalking a minor, are met.

Michelle Garcia, director of the Stalking Resource Center, said her organization published a model code for states on dealing with stalking in 2007.

“Our recommendation is that it should minimally be a felony,” she said, adding that stalking has only been considered a crime for about 20 years in most areas.

“When we look at how our system responds to it, we are still playing catch-up,” she said, stressing that the law is just the first step in dealing with stopping stalking in our society.

Teaching schoolchildren about dating violence is another way to curb future incidents, Garcia and Bates said.

“If we start doing healthy relationship education in an age-appropriate way starting very early in schools, we could see a decrease of things like stalking,” Garcia said, adding that there also needs to be a change in the way stalking is portrayed in popular culture.

“Most often stalking is portrayed as being romantic or a joke or minimized in a number of ways.”

Need for training

Facey also said there needs to be a move toward educating people, noting, “It is about not focusing entirely on girls not being victims, but focusing on boys not being abusers.”

“It’s those awful texts, ‘Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you with? Why didn’t you call me?’ And that’s the stuff we need to be teaching young people — that it’s none of your f****** business and she’ll call you when she’s ready.”

Facey and Garcia both said stalking can take several different forms, but it is often between ex-partners. According to the Stalking Resource Center, one in six women and one in 19 men have experienced stalking victimization. Sixty-six percent of female victims and 41 percent of male victims were stalked by a current or former intimate partner.

Garcia emphasized a need for training for those who respond to stalking.

“There has to be this ongoing training [for responders to stalking] and that tends to be one area that’s lacking,” she said.

Sgt. Joe Heffernan, public information officer for the Toledo Police Department, said training updates on dealing with domestic violence are often included in the continuing education required for all Toledo officers.

When asked when is it time to call in law enforcement, he said, “Anytime you feel threatened, you can make a police report and you can request to have a protection order.”

An officer can attach a request for a protection order to an affidavit when responding to an incident if he or she feels it’s necessary. “So if the person has been arrested then the judge on the spot will determine if the protection order is warranted or not,” he said.

Otherwise, a victim can speak to a police officer to file a report, which can then be taken  to the prosecutor’s office, Heffernan said. The prosecutor’s office can then decide whether to file criminal charges and also potentially issue a protective order. If a person violates a protective order, it’s an automatic arrest, Heffernan said.

However, the first violation of a protection order is a misdemeanor. The second is a felony, Bates said.

Garcia said, “[Protection orders] are absolutely one tool that are available to victims and in most cases, they’re not a complete answer.”

Most dangerous time

The most dangerous time for a domestic violence or stalking victim is once he or she has broken off the relationship and filed for protection, Heffernan said. However, he added, “It’s still often times a very necessary step.”

He advocated planning ahead with someone who is trained to deal with domestic violence victims like police, the Victims/Witness Assistance program or the YWCA. He also recommended watching for warning signs like anger issues in the beginning of a relationship.

Documenting stalking incidents is also crucial to building a case, Garcia said. There is a PDF for logging incidents available at www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center. Safe intervention by bystanders is also crucial, she and Bates said.

Garcia also said it’s become rare to hear about a stalking case that doesn’t involve technology.

Facey said that society shouldn’t restrict what young women can or can’t do online, but rather needs to educate perpetrators about proper use of technology.

“Why is it ‘Girls, don’t do that,’ instead of, ‘Boys, don’t spend all Saturday creeping your ex-girlfriend’s Facebook page and then getting ideas of where to ambush her?’”

Facey recommended that the Toledo Municipal Court start a dedicated docket for domestic violence cases.

“[Perz] is a guy who’s literally seen every single judge in Toledo Municipal Court. What a benefit if we had one concentrated system looking at this particular person and saying, ‘You’re a really high risk.’”

Facey added, “On your first offense, for whatever the crime, you’re generally treated more leniently by the court, but I think in terms of domestic violence, we need the exact opposite response.”

Bates said more specialization by the justice system and law enforcement would be a positive thing, but that funds are limited.

Need for evidence

There were nearly 1,600 domestic violence cases seen by Toledo Municipal Court in 2011, according to a report released in May 2012 by Independent Advocates, a group on hiatus that Facey ran. Of those cases, 79 percent were dismissed or reduced to lesser charges.

“Homicide is a very real possibility when dealing with all domestic violence cases regardless of whether they’re misdemeanor cases or not. … [The cases] come into our lowest courts and get shuffled around and dismissed like crazy and amended beyond belief,” Facey said.

Heffernan said that last year, domestic violence was the No. 1 driver of homicides.

Bates said victims are often reluctant to go forward with prosecution and if there isn’t additional evidence, this can make prosecution difficult.

“If we don’t have [evidence] and we have a victim who is unwilling or reluctant to testify, it really does tie our hands,” she said, adding that a lack of evidence is another reason charges can be reduced.

Even if stalking doesn’t end in violence, it can have other effects, Facey and Garcia said.

“We can recognize a text saying, ‘I’m going to kill you if you don’t A, B, C or D’ is a terrible, horrifying thing, but a text saying, ‘Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing?’ may not seem as threatening, but I think they’re ultimately going for the same goal, which is control,” Facey said.

Gerhardinger, who sang in a praise band with Gerber, remembered her as an “altogether a wonderful friend.”

“I’ve noticed in college, that almost everyone is or knows someone affected by these crimes. It sticks to you and becomes close to the heart.”

Herzing University Toledo will sign an agreement with Owens Community College within days establishing a “3+1” program between the two schools.

“It is an effort to make higher education more affordable and attainable,” said Kevin Milliken, community relations coordinator for Herzing. “This ‘3+1’ program is unique to the Toledo campus. It’s the first time we’ve ever done something like this. We have to continue to find unique and creative ways to help students afford and access higher education, as well as retain them and help them complete.”

The 2010 census reports that one in three adults living in Lucas County currently has at least an associate degree. One in 11 has at least a bachelor’s degree.

“And that’s worse than even the Appalachian regions of southern Ohio,” Milliken said. “The census broke down adult education county by county. Lucas County is pretty much in the middle of the pack with that one in three [statistic]. But because Ohio is an industrial state, there’s the manufacturing mentality that says if you get a high school diploma, you can get a job on the assembly line and make good money. Of course, those days are long gone.”

By 2020, the Ohio Board of Regents projects that three of every five jobs in Ohio will require some form of higher education.

“That’s not necessarily a four-year college degree, but an associate degree or a diploma or certificate program — something — because of technological advancements,” Milliken said. “And that’s seven short years from where we currently are in Lucas County.

“My message (when speaking to high school students) in the classrooms is a high school diploma is now a one-way ticket to working poor. That’s a message from the organization Complete College America.”

Milliken will follow up the March 28 Transfer Fair hosted by Owens for its students graduating with associate degrees when he meets with interested students April 2 at Owens at 10:30 a.m.

Significant cost savings

Milliken said the “3+1” program allows students to take three years of classes at Owens and the final three semesters at Herzing. “3+1” will save students almost $20,000 on the cost of a traditional four-year liberal arts university bachelor degree program.

“What this does is accomplish a couple of things,” Milliken said. “No. 1, it allows students to attend a community college at a lower per credit hour cost. It also allows them to finish in a reasonable amount of time, saving that kind of money so they’re not up to their necks in student loan debt.”

Options for students

Doug Bullimore, assistant director of transfer partnerships at the Toledo campus at Owens, said he is glad Owens signed the agreement.

“I’m always looking for different options for our students after they earn their associate degree,” Bullimore said. “The whole educational system is changing. We are going through a renaissance. This ‘3+1’ program can give our students another avenue to follow.”

Herzing’s “3+1” program will allow students to take three years of classes at Owens, where tuition is $146.03 per credit hour, as opposed to Bowling Green State University ($359), The University of Toledo ($327.66) or Herzing University ($460).

However, Milliken said the cost of classes at both UT and BGSU are closer to the $450 Herzing charges.

“When you look at Herzing’s per-semester cost, we are right there in the ballpark with UT and BGSU because they stack all those fees on top of everything,” he said.

Additional BGSU costs

BGSU’s website reports that students pay a $59 fee for each credit hour, which makes one academic credit hour actually cost $418. BGSU’s website also estimates book and academic supplies will cost $1,194 annually.

Students also pay a mandatory $61 per credit hour fee with a maximum charge of $732 a semester “to attend most campus activities and athletic events free or at a reduced admission fee.” This fee also supports the student union, intramural sports, and “other student services, activities and related capital projects” and allows full-time students access to the Rec Center and Perry Field House.

A parking permit costs $60 a semester or $100 a year.

The website also lists 49 other fees  ranging from $7 to $720 per semester that students could potentially be required to pay.

The website also informs students that “fees are subject to change at any time with Board of Trustees’ approval.”

Additional UT costs

UT’s website reports that students pay an additional $49.60 fee for each credit hour, which makes one academic credit hour actually cost $377.26. UT’s website also estimates the “typical annual cost of books” at $750.

A parking permit costs $120 a semester or $240 a year.

The website provides a link to a 17-page PDF from The Office of the Treasurer that identifies technology fees calculated by the college in which a student is enrolled, ranging in price from $1.25 to $17.50 per credit hour.

Herzing University is located at 5212 Hill Ave. in Toledo. Photo courtesy Herzing University.

The document also lists 21 “miscellaneous fees” ranging from $3 per credit hour to $4,825 a year that students could potentially be required to pay. The document also lists four of the miscellaneous fee categories as “vary by course.”

The website informs students that “fees are for a typical fall/spring semester, 15-week course. Application and new student registration fees may also apply. Tuition and fees are subject to change.”

Additional Owens costs

Owens’ website reports that unlike BGSU and UT, Owens does not attach a fee to the cost of a credit hour. The advertised $146.03 cost is final.

The website lists five required fees. Two are one-time fees — an application fee ($20) and a new student orientation fee ($65).

Recurring required fees are registration fees ($10), laboratory fees, which vary by course, and academic support service fees ($110).

Owens lists 12 optional fees, ranging in cost from $5 per academic program to $50 per semester. Owens does not charge a parking fee.

‘No fee’ policy

“We don’t stack fees,” Milliken said. “We include the cost of books (in the price of a credit hour), and we don’t add any fees. We even pay for any certification test that a student would need. For example, our new information technology program will include some Cisco (Computer Information System Company) certifications. If someone has to sit for a Cisco certification test, we pay that fee as a part of their tuition.

“We don’t have technology fees, special services fees, program fees and parking fees. If you were to take a look at the typical bill for a public university, you could see as many as six to 10 different kinds of fees. When the state legislature puts a tuition freeze on what public colleges and universities can charge, those institutions generate additional revenue by establishing fees.”

Global marketplace

“This is career-oriented stuff where graduates can walk right in the door and do the job because, built into our curriculum, we’re using actual case studies that companies faced in logistics, product ordering, HR, benefits, financial accounting — every aspect of the global marketplace,” Milliken said.

Milliken said Herzing’s Software Applications Platform (SAP) component to the curriculum makes its graduates more marketable.

“SAP is the software system that 60 percent of the world’s companies use, including local employers such as the City of Toledo, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning, The Andersons and Chrysler,” Milliken said. “It’s in demand, especially in Northwest Ohio.”

Milliken said SAP allows various software programs that companies use to talk to each other and expand out into all types of devices, including personal computers, smartphones, tablets and the Web. Milliken said SAP allows companies to present information in user-friendly ways.

Liberal arts four-year colleges and universities teach the theory behind SAP and other computing platforms, but they don’t offer students the hands-on training in operating platforms that Herzing provides, Milliken said.

“When graduates walk out with a bachelor’s degree in business with this SAP component, they’re ready to walk into any one of our major local employers,” Milliken said. “They don’t have to leave the area to find opportunity. And we’re being told anecdotally out in the field that if you don’t have that SAP piece, many of the local employers aren’t going to look at you. Since the unemployment situation is so high right now, employers can pick and choose whom they want.”

Milliken acknowledged that critics will be skeptical of the “3+1” program, saying it is simply a marketing ploy that a for-profit university is using to entice more students to enroll.

“There will be naysayers out there, but until we start creating the university of the future, we’re going to miss a lot of opportunity,” Milliken said. “For the traditional bricks-and-mortar university, time is passing it by. There are almost 1,000 online programs out there. Our online bachelor’s program is now ranked 80th in the country by U.S. News & World Report. That puts us at No. 1 on Northwest Ohio and No. 2 in Ohio.”

Further implications

“We have to leverage the resources that are available to meet the students where they’re at because the adult learner, formerly known as the nontraditional student, is the norm rather than the exception these days,” Milliken said. “In order for them to complete an education, we have to work around the work-family-children-life balance. And education is just one more thing piled on all the pressures of life. And unless and until we evolve and adapt to meet those situations, we’re not going to succeed as a region.”

Milliken said Herzing is looking to expand the “3+1” program “in any way we can so that students can save money on college. It’s something that may be a good fit for Northwest State [Community College, with its main campus in Archbold and satellite campuses in Bryan, Van Wert and Whitehouse] or Terra [Community College in Fremont], but those discussions have not been completed. The idea has been introduced to their leadership, but further discussions are obviously needed.”

Milliken said reciprocity programs like “3+1” could be expanded to programs both schools have in common, including:

• Technology programs in computer networking, network management, security technology and technology management.
• A public safety program in criminal justice.
• Health care programs in health information management, health care management, insurance billing and coding, medical assistance services and surgical technology.
• Business programs in accounting, business management and paralegal services.

“Anything that we offer could be pursued at a higher level toward a bachelor’s degree,” he said. “Anything we offer is a logical candidate for such a ‘3+1’ program.”

Milliken said Greg Guzman, Herzing campus president, gets all the credit for establishing the program.

“Greg used to work at Owens so he has some ongoing relationships there,” Milliken said. “What gives us such a foothold here is that Greg has worked in higher education in many of Northwest Ohio’s public universities, including Owens, Lourdes [University] and Bowling Green [State University].

“As institutions of higher education, we have to do a better job of meeting all students where they’re at and structure programs accordingly to do two things — help them achieve success and give them the tools and the tool belt necessary for what the workforce demands.

“And if we’ve done neither or either, then we’ve failed the students who are investing in their future success.”